2 years ago

The awarding of the prize was cancelled in 2020 and the world's best players are again making their cases to claim the coveted individual honour
After being cancelled in 2020, the Ballon d'Or is back, with the great and good of the football world again eyeing the biggest individual honour the game has to offer.

The prize will not be handed out until December, meaning that players can still make their cases to succeed 2019 winner Lionel Messi over the coming months, despite most of the major club and international silverware having been won already.

So, by using the performances of the contenders so far, as well as predictions of what is likely still to come in 2021, who holds the most power in this year's race?

Goal ranks the runners and riders...:

20. Nicolo Barella (Inter)
Last time: NEW ENTRY
In 2021: Five goals, 11 assists. Won Serie A & Euro 2020.

19. Pedri (Barcelona)
Last time: 19th
In 2021: Three goals, six assists. Won Copa del Rey & Olympic silver medal.

18. Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United)
Last time: NEW ENTRY
In 2021: 21 goals, 10 assists.

17. Mason Mount (Chelsea)
Last time: 17th
In 2021: Nine goals, seven assists. Won Champions League & UEFA Super Cup.

16. Neymar (Paris Saint-Germain)
Last time: 16th
In 2021: 14 goals, 12 assists. Won Coupe de France & Trophee des Champions.

15. Raheem Sterling (Manchester City)
Last time: 12th
In 2021: 13 goals, seven assists. Won Premier League & Carabao Cup.

14. Harry Kane (Tottenham)
Last time: 14th
In 2021: 28 goals, five assists.

13. Ruben Dias (Manchester City)
Last time: 13th
In 2021: One goal, two assists, 24 clean sheets. Won Premier League & Carabao Cup.

12. Federico Chiesa (Juventus)
Last time: 10th
In 2021: 15 goals, five assists. Won Euro 2020, Coppa Italia & Supercoppa Italiana.

11. Gianluigi Donnarumma (Paris Saint-Germain)
Last time: 15th
In 2021: 19 clean sheets. Won Euro 2020.

10. Karim Benzema (Real Madrid)
Last time: 11th
In 2021: 28 goals, 11 assists.

9. Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City)
Last time: 7th
In 2021: 10 goals, 11 assists. Won Premier League & Carabao Cup.

8. Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United)
Last time: 8th
In 2021: 33 goals, four assists. Won Coppa Italia & Supercoppa Italiana.

7. Kylian Mbappe (Paris Saint-Germain)
Last time: 6th
In 2021: 33 goals, 11 assists. Won Coupe de France & Trophee des Champions.

6. Erling Haaland (Borussia Dortmund)
Last time: 9th
In 2021: 41 goals, 13 assists. Won DFB-Pokal.

5. Romelu Lukaku (Chelsea)
Last time: 5th
In 2021: 29 goals, eight assists. Won Serie A.

4. N'Golo Kante (Chelsea)
Last time: 4th
In 2021: One goal, one assist. Won Champions League & UEFA Super Cup.

3. Jorginho (Chelsea)
Last time: 3rd
In 2021: Five goals, two assists. Won Euro 2020, Champions League & UEFA Super Cup.

2. Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich)
Last time: 2nd
In 2021: 48 goals, seven assists. Won Bundesliga, Club World Cup & DFL-Supercup.

1. Lionel Messi (Paris Saint-Germain)
Last time: 1st
In 2021: 36 goals, 14 assists. Won Copa America & Copa del Rey.

Is there a scenario where Messi does not win his seventh Ballon d'Or in 2021?

If there is, then a slow start to life at PSG is probably part of it, with the Argentine's substitution when Mauricio Pochettino was chasing a winning goal against Lyon on Sunday a sure sign that Messi is not quite hitting top gear in France yet.

#BallondOr2021 #LionelMessi #Lewandowski #CristianoRonaldo

Source: https://www.goal.com/en/lists/ballon-dor-2021-power-rankings/1l03egk461k3a1em4lb6gh8mhu#znxd1plsw2pv1pz774lwnnc2k

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